tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29146191399687349832024-03-14T02:44:59.663-04:00Capitol to CapitalCapitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.comBlogger378125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-35993894015030915792012-12-02T20:44:00.000-05:002012-12-02T20:46:17.006-05:00Yes, I Really Liked the Old Google Reader That MuchSo we have to start with the arrogant presupposition that anyone is missing new posts here. Now that we have that covered, whether it's true or not, I can get into why. I'm going to focus on technology and not on the whole "when I started I was a student and now I have a demanding full time job" thing. (Also, <a href="http://pinterest.com/dc2alb/">Pinterest</a> exists. Rabbit hole, you guys, amirite...)<br />
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Let's talk about the death of Google Reader. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Reader">Google Reader </a>was the way that at one point I kept up with over 80 blogs I wanted to read: what was going on in DC, new restaurants, some people I knew doing awesome stuff, recipes, etc. I organized favorite posts with recipes and ideas with labels like "jewish holidays," "vegetarian," "entertaining," and many many more. But more than just a feed aggregator, Google Reader was a place to share to a <b>very</b> tightly controlled group. I maybe had 20 people (and I knew them all IRL, or In Real Life) that were part of my "Google Reader Sharing" group, and when I read a post I wanted them to see, I shared it. Not to all 400 or so Facebook friends who I mostly never talk to or see, not to hundreds of accounts (active and non) of people and companies on Twitter, just a handful of people who appreciate reading blogs the way that I do, and could pick a few good posts to share with me daily, and who could read the ones I shared and make a few comments. The loss of Google Reader was truly devastating to me. I know that sounds dramatic, but it was how I organized my internet for quite a while. <br />
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Obviously technology has changed a lot (for the better). When I <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2007/07/cafe-saint-ex.html">started this blog</a>, I didn't have an iPhone (actually I didn't have a smart phone until 2010 because student loans aren't for paying big cell bills, right, college aged people??). It used to make sense to take pictures with my point and shoot camera, plug that in to my laptop, upload them, save them in a place where I could find them from dumb Blogger platform, and upload them into a post. Now that entire endeavor seems antiquated.<br />
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I'm not a huge fan of redundancy. Of course I would watch Pretty Woman on a weekly basis, but what I mean is that if I Like you on Facebook (or we're Friends), and I have your blog in my Google Reader, and I follow you on Twitter and you tweet your posts, and I follow you on Instagram and you post fun pictures (otherwise why would I follow you!), and then you Pin the thing you saw that you want, I'm getting a lot of repetition. <br />
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So for me it started looking like:<br />
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<i>DC2ALB on Twitter:</i> Off to City Beer Hall for brunch, man I love that place.<br />
<i>DC2ALB on Instagram:</i> Pic of awesome beet/arugula/gorgonzola salad with over-easy eggs on top + an oatmeal stout<br />
<i>DC2ALB on Pinterest</i>: Pic of City Beer Hall on a board named something like "eats."*<br />
<i>DC2ALB on Ravelry</i>: I'm totes going to knit a blanket that looks like City Beer Hall.*<br />
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[*Full disclosure, these last two never happened.]<br />
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<i>Me, at home</i>: Should I blog City Beer Hall brunch? I mean...why? <br />
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If I'm bored by the same, and have been gradually unsubscribing from blogs for that reason, I assume you have been too. Even without assuming our similarity in that respect, I am <b>too bored of myself</b> to even write the offending redundant post. And I have some etiquette questions, like if you share your Instagram to Facebook, should I Like or Heart them on the other platform? Comment on both? What's the deal with that?<!--3--><br />
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I have some <a href="http://www.theproudfeet.com/">friends</a> and <a href="http://adventuresoncstreet.wordpress.com/">family</a> whose <a href="http://fussylittleblog.com/">posts</a> I so look forward to (and will probably start just getting emailed to me), <a href="http://corcoranstreetkitchen.blogspot.com/">recipes</a> I always read, and <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/">local</a> happenings to find out about. But as more and more blogs switched to the whole "click here to read on" and "after the jump" situations, the convenience of Google Reader started to fade. If I can read maybe 2 or 3 lines, not enough to get the pertinent information to see if I even WANT to click into a whole.new.window(or.tab), then I'm just annoyed. <br />
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So I'll see you on <a href="https://twitter.com/dc2alb">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/dc2alb">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://pinterest.com/dc2alb/">Pinterest</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/dc2alb">Ravelry</a>, and whatever I'm forgetting. At least for now.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-32033328438589429342012-10-09T20:50:00.001-04:002012-10-09T20:50:24.699-04:00What We've Been Drinkin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is what we've been drinking at home lately:<br />
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<a href="http://www.bluepointbrewing.com/bpbc/microbrews/pumpkin-ale/" target="_blank">Blue Point Pumpkin </a><br />
<a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/651/85276" target="_blank">Ithaca Pumpkin</a><br />
<a href="http://abita.com/brews/our_brews/turbodog" target="_blank">Abita Turbodog</a><br />
<a href="http://sixpoint.com/beers/seasonal/apollo" target="_blank">Sixpoint Apollo </a><br />
<a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/877/3967" target="_blank">River Horse Special </a><br />
<a href="http://www.stbcbeer.com/harvest-beer-page/">Southern Tier Harvest </a><br />
Not pictured but in my fridge are also <a href="http://www.shipyard.com/taste/" target="_blank">Shipyard Pumpkin</a>, <a href="http://sixpoint.com/beers/core/sweetaction" target="_blank">Sixpoint Sweet Action*</a>, and <a href="http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/3">Unibroue Blanche de Chambly.</a><br />
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Why do we have so many different beers in our fridge? Well, we took home leftovers from a family party. Also, we like beer. In particular, it's nice when you are home alone and don't feel like making a real dinner, so instead you make half a real dinner and have a beer. Or have a bowl of cereal and a beer for a filling dessert. <br />
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I love trying new ones, and getting flights at <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/01/dinosaur-bar-b-que.html">Dinosaur</a>, <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2012/08/city-beer-hall.html">CBH</a>, and Gastropub then following up with a visit to the beer store. Also, I want to have every pumpkin beer so I can figure out which one reigns supreme for me. I definitely liked Shipyard and Ithaca more than the Blue Point. Not that the BP was <i>bad</i>, but it wasn't very pumpkin-y. <br />
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I should take notes about beers on my iPhone (in the Notes app) because sometimes I forget what I've tried, what I preferred, etc. Even when it's a sip of my friend's drink (yes, they share). <br />
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What are you all drinking this fall? <br />
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*I haven't tasted this one yet. The four pack of tall cans is full! For now...Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-36786675507018605632012-10-05T20:33:00.003-04:002012-10-05T20:33:42.731-04:00Sciortino's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like going places when they are new. We pulled this move with <a href="http://www.capcitygastropub.com/" target="_blank">Capital City Gastropub</a> most recently. Sciortino's opened in the <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/03/miss-albany-diner.html" target="_blank">Miss Albany Diner</a> space this past Wednesday. <br />
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Off the bat, I'll mention that I'm a fan of most things <a href="https://twitter.com/BurritoBoy" target="_blank">Baumgartner</a>. Yes, he's easy on the eyes, but the food at his restaurants is actually good. Some of my favorite meals in Albany involve the f<a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2012/01/eating-at-bars.html" target="_blank">ish and chips at Olde English</a> (and the beer), the fish tacos at Bombers (made better by being post-Boilermaker 15k), and although I'm not a huge fan of the food at Wolff's, I love love love <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/5172/preview-wolffs-biergarten/" target="_blank">the space it's in</a> (and the beer). I like when <a href="http://fridaypuppy.com/" target="_blank">his blog</a> has pictures of dogs, which is most of the time.<br />
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Anyway, tonight was the perfect night to head to Sciortino's. Because I'm approximately 75 years old (see, hobbies: knitting, baking, being obsessed with my pet), we went for the early bird.<br />
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You can read all about it <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/33549/first-look-sciortinos-in-albany/" target="_blank">here</a>. And <a href="http://www.keepalbanyboring.com/2012/shop-visit-sciortinos-pizzeria/" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/10/01/sciortinos-set-to-open-in-the-old-miss-albany" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/08/27/the-plan-for-the-miss-albany-building" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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We had a Peroni and a Brooklyn Brown Ale, then ordered entirely too much food. It was on purpose, but it was still alarming. One thing to note is that when on display, the square pieces of pizza are on an angle, and it makes them look shorter than they are. Don't be fooled. One slice is enough. <br />
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BBQ Chicken pizza (one slice, cut up)<br />
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Sausage, peppers, and mushrooms (it's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkwrIZQDt50&feature=related" target="_blank">UNDERNEATH</a>) <br />
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White pizza with vegetables.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_riggies" target="_blank">Chicken riggies </a><br />
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At one point this was a brownie sundae. Totally unnecessary. Really gooey and delicious. <br />
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I really liked the pizza and I'd have all of them again. The BBQ chicken might be my favorite. Service was really friendly, and Matt was hanging out at and behind the counter. It wasn't crowded, but if it had been, we'd just have a drink at Wolff's while waiting. I had never tried chicken riggies but heard good things, and while it was good, it's not for me. I'm a spice wimp and it was a little hot (which I expected). I also thought it might be more baked like a ziti, but it wasn't. Cash only, as per yuzh. <br />
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<a href="http://www.sciortinospizzeria.com/" target="_blank">Sciortino's</a> (pronounced like shore-tinos)<br />
893 Broadway<br />
Albany, NYCapitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-57409947402896668772012-08-28T08:04:00.002-04:002012-08-28T08:04:51.269-04:00City Beer Hall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dinner at City Beer Hall with our out of town friends was great, even though my dinner personally wasn't what I'd asked for. We had the wild boar schnitzel, short rib shepherds pie, and two burgers (one stuffed with foie gras). The only issue we had was that our burgers didn't come out right. Both were ordered medium (specified as pink center) but one was med-rare and one was on well-done side (totally cooked through). Still tasted great, just not what we asked for or ideally wanted. We had a side of Brussels and the charcuterie; I preferred the sprouts. Obviously the stars were the beer (I split a flight with F and had a big girl beer of my own) and the patio (which is where we sat for a long while). <br />
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Brunch was a shining star all around. The fried chicken was really moist on the inside, crispy on the outside, and the portion was great with the waffle. I had eggs on the kale/farro/gorgonzola salad, and it was perrrrrfect. No, it doesn't come like that, but I got a side of eggs and popped them atop. The servings are really generous - I recently had the beet salad (with fennel, pistachios, and gorgonzola) and it was HUGE. It made an awesome lunch, especially because....ALL BRUNCH ENTREES COME WITH A BEER (or mimosa or other brunch-y drink). So for $9.99 before tax I got a beer with my salad, and that's ANY beer they have. <br />
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Also...<br />
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Ice Cream Sandwich. That's apple cider doughnut ice cream from <a href="http://www.bowmanorchards.com/" target="_blank">Bowman Orchards</a>. With oatmeal raisin cookies from <a href="http://allgoodbakers.weebly.com/" target="_blank">All Good Bakers</a>. That's an easy to bite into, cinnamon-y, perfect ice cream sandwich if I ever knew one. Not sure what J would think about the lack of chocolate.<br />
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Here is a list of the things I love about City Beer Hall:<br />
- The beer list is superb. Lots of local, seasonal, delicious things that I love, including <a href="http://www.unibroue.com/en/beers/3/" target="_blank">Unibroue Blanche de Chambly</a> and <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/6980/46831" target="_blank">Joe Mama's Milk Stout</a>. And there's always an <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/10/cooperstown-fly-creek-and-ommegang.html" target="_blank">Ommegang</a>.<br />
- The patio is off the hook. It's bigger than the inside. On a nice day, why be anywhere else?<br />
- It's never ridiculously crowded. I don't have people breathing down my neck at brunch to take our table. You CAN linger, and it's not the worst thing ever.<br />
- I want to eat everything on the menu<br />
- BEER COMES WITH YOUR BRUNCH. Or another drink, if you're one of those.<br />
- Don't stress about parking - they have a free lot. It's further up Howard Street--pass the entrance to City Beer Hall if you are going away from the Hudson River (Northwest) you'll see an easel-like sign for it, turn left at the sign and it'll lead you to their little lot.<br />
- They use at least some local ingredients. <a href="http://www.kilcoynefarms.com/" target="_blank">Kilcoyne</a> beef for one. <br />
- Interesting events! Including the <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/28840/city-beer-hall-expands-menu-slates-future-game-dinners/" target="_blank">Wild Game dinners</a> this past summer. We were lucky enough to win tickets from <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/" target="_blank">All Over Albany</a> for that dinner, and even though I was completely delinquent about blogging it, we had a great time and learned that we like <a href="http://www.sixpoint.com/" target="_blank">Sixpoint Brewery. </a> <br />
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And yes, if you only go for drinks and not food, you'll get food anyway, because every beer gets you a ticket for a free little "pizza." It's as thin as a tortilla, with melted cheese and a little sauce. It is totally edible, and if you go with friends and end up eating 3 or 4, it's totally fine. Although my boss said eating the pizzas made her <i>more</i> hungry for dinner when she got home. <br />
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<a href="http://thecitybeerhall.com/" target="_blank">City Beer Hall</a><br />
42 Howard Street<br />
AlbanyCapitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-3530456633032817732012-07-30T07:30:00.000-04:002012-07-30T07:30:05.493-04:00One at Revel in Atlantic CityRegardless of my thoughts on Revel (extensive metal staircase to climb to the one-level-misrepresented-as-4-level club in a brandynew resort which btw $30 cover even for a bachelorette party staying there? Letting someone put their pool bar tab on our room???), our dinner was actually pretty good. Interestingly, because most AC restaurants don't require a credit card to make a reservation, it seems like people just make a handful and choose last minute where to go. How else to explain how our TOTALLY BOOKED, WE DO NOT TAKE WALK INS restaurant had plenty of room and ended up able to seat 8 of us 30 minutes early? And yes, we had made a second rez.<br />
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My first choice in the hotel would have been <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2009/03/central.html" target="_blank">Central</a>, because helloooo Michel Richard. Or the tapas place.<br />
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So, I'm not <i>entirely</i> sure that it <i>must</i> be <b>the place</b>. But it's a place. A place with very loud music (since when am I 80? Oh wait, since about 2003). But we screamed into our neighbor's ears and decided we'd talk more later in the comfort of our rooms, over the ringing of course. <br />
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These little baby breads (each roll was about half a thumb tall) were delicious and so cute, sprinkled with rocky salt. But being there with all girls, we sort of left 1.5 hanging in each dish. Things That Don't Happen With Guys Present for 1000, Alex?<br />
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YUM, tuna tartare with stacked taro chips with an avocado base. Sorry about the iPhone pics--it was dark in there. I'd definitely get the tuna again.<br />
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Mini Kobe sliders - DELICIOUS. Pickles, the key to happiness. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.facebook.com/OneAtlanticCity/app_117784394919914" target="_blank">menu</a> for One is nearly impossible to find. Unlike other restaurants in Revel, the menu isn't on the web site (note, it wasn't two weeks ago! It is now. Damnit). Instead it's on the Facebook page. But it's not immediately visible, you need to look at their list of crap (About, Photos, etc) and press "5 More" to see an icon for Menu. When I called to ask about an online menu, whoever picked up then put me on hold said it was on Facebook. When I told her I still didn't see it, she said she didn't know. Then she said I could email a manager for it. I did email, because I figured they might send me one with prices (good to know when you're with a group), but never got a response.<br />
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When I don't see prices on a menu, I worry a little. I worry that it's VERY expensive. This was not the case; it wasn't any more expensive than the other restaurants in Revel or other big hotels in AC, so why not cut a girl (or 8) a break and stop the worries? Transparency is good--tell people what to expect.<br />
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The food was pretty good, it came out pretty quickly, the drinks were way expensive of course, but there were beers for $7, so I went that route. It seems like they brought us a round of free shots, but then we were charged for them. A few girls got the lobster roll appetizer and they were the tiniest little guys I ever saw, picture mini hot dogs but lobster in them instead. And $19. Just know what you're in for! Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-25463632453858423902012-07-26T12:00:00.000-04:002012-07-26T12:00:55.760-04:00Eating at the Track<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It happened. The track opened! We went opening weekend with our friends from out of town (first-timers to the CapReg, and one of them had never been to a racetrack before). You know you're in Smallbany (or the Smallbany area, at least) when you basically know a handful of people outside of work and manage to see 3 people you know at the Track opening weekend. There were tons of people there, but almost immediately we saw a dude from work and two folks from the dog park. Obviously we don't know their names--they are [dog's] mom and dad.<br />
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So, <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/31936/everything-you-want-to-know-about-dinign-at-the-track/" target="_blank">eating at the track</a> has a lot of choices, but I'm still getting started. See above - <a href="http://hattiesrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">HATTIE'S</a>! While brunch there recently was a bit of a miss (chicken was a little off, eggs weren't cooked right the first time), you really can't go wrong with fried chicken. They had some initial <a href="http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2012/07/06/news/doc4ff76a79a3c10026351522.txt" target="_blank">drama </a>on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hatties-Restaurant/113135056625" target="_blank">Facebook </a>page and beyond about their new location, made a few threats not to be at the Track, but alas are still there. And BTW it was very easy to find. <br />
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The line for Hattie's was long and we'd been there before, of course, so we had some smoked meat poutine (with gravy and curds of course) from this joint. When <a href="http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2011/11/18/news/doc4ec715b5331c7559479874.txt" target="_blank">Shirley's was sold</a> to a Montrealian (Montrealite?), poutine hit the menu faster than you can say s'il vous plait.<br />
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<a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shack</a>. Whether you're a burger and fries person or a straight up milkshake person (raises hand), you are covered. The line moves fairly quickly. The straws aren't extra big, which is a little sad for someone who likes to drink milkshakes as fast as possible. The Sloppy Track shake sounds up my alley but really the black & white is my favorite. I'm a fan of salted caramel (including the Starbucks salted caramel hot chocolate...swoon) but it was too salty, and mine was on the meltier side. I like my shakes frrrreezing and hard to drink, preferably out of an extra wide straw. Thanks.<br />
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For now, these are my only eating experiences at the track after exactly 2 visits and 2 summers as a local. I have a feeling we'll be back a few more times this season and maybe I'll branch out. To homemade picnic sandwiches that I brought with me...(PS that's a thing, you can do that. We brought a small soft cooler with beer in it. CHEAP! YUM! CLASSY!)<br />
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Go, have fun, eat food (bought or brought), and don't lose all your money. I ended up $2 up after 5 races, but with admission at $3 and my shake at $6, I guess I was really down $7. Pretty reasonable for 3 hours of entertainment and the chance of the thrill of winning.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-76854103538347799872012-07-22T21:55:00.000-04:002012-07-22T21:55:08.740-04:00Symeon's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When you live in the Capital Region and run the <a href="http://www.boilermaker.com/" target="_blank">Boilermaker</a>, you have two options: Stay over in the Utica area (and book well in advance--at least 6 months), or get up at an ungodly hour and head west for the 8am start. In both 2011 and 2012 I chose to stay the night nearby. <br />
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In a two sentence race review/recap, I can tell you that I love the Boilermaker 15k, the people of Utica are gracious with their colanders of ice, icicles, orange slices, and garden hose showers, and my only criticism/suggestion is that they do a pace-related wave start. Because Super Elite followed by Everyone Else does not make for a comfortable first few miles.<br />
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ANYWAY, we had dinner at <a href="http://www.symeons.com/history" target="_blank">Symeon's</a>, recommended by a friend who goes to Utica for work often. It wasn't super crazy, despite the thousands of people in town for the run. They also have a lot of tables. The souvlaki was so flavorful and piping hot, and those pieces of well-seasoned meat contrasted beautifully with my antipasto plate (basically Greek salad with dolmades--grape leaves--on top). My only criticism is that the bread to wrap the souvlaki in wasn't warm, which made it unappetizing. I ignored it. My mom (who ran the BM15k in 1:34!) really enjoyed her salmon with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf. Light and healthy, getting ready to run.<br />
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We were pretty full, but baklava ice cream sounded very interesting. We heard it was especially made just for them by <a href="http://www.rocstaricecream.com/" target="_blank">Roc Star Ice Cream.</a> We decided to get one to share, and our waitress put it in three mini dishes (unnecessary but SO SWEET), and it was delicious. Baklava or ice cream, WHY CHOOSE when you can have baklava IN your ice cream? Really. <br />
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3 mini sundaes for the price of one. Thank you!Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-58348445881350719932012-07-11T07:00:00.000-04:002012-07-11T07:00:00.560-04:005 Years LaterA lot can happen in five years. Someone who joined me for <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2007/07/cafe-saint-ex.html" target="_blank">my first meal to be blogged</a> is engaged and currently living in a<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_New_York" target="_blank"> state with equal marriage</a>. I went from an unpaid intern (at a place with <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/georgewbush" target="_blank">this guy's</a> mug on the entry wall) to a full time employee with a salary. My first cousins (22 in total) produced 14 children, so I got fourteen new first cousins once removed. Eight boys and six girls, but I feel compelled to tell you that 4/6 of those girls arrived in the past 18 months. So it was raining boys until recently. Our <a href="http://www.gwu.edu/" target="_blank">schools</a> got new <a href="http://blog.nj.com/njv_bob_braun/2012/04/new_rutgers_president_promises.html" target="_blank">presidents</a> and the law school has a new dean. <br />
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ANYWAY. We <a href="http://www.northparkave.com/" target="_blank">moved</a>, then moved <a href="http://albany.org/" target="_blank">further</a>. And moved <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34u_3Z9_LUw" target="_blank">again</a>, albeit not as far. <br />
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We've got 380 posts, a number that includes a handful of drafts I'm not sure whether I should delete, even still. These are "all time" stats, which are really from May 2008. I guess I didn't have analytics enabled before then. Because I didn't know what <i>analytics</i> were. <br />
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So thanks Emily. Because you wrote the #1 viewed post by far. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/06/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter.html" target="_blank">HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER</a>.<br />
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I see a pattern here. Postcards are popular. People are traveling where I'm traveling (or maybe they live there) and they want to know where to eat. If you live in Albany and I'm the 17th person to write a blog post about City Beer Hall, who cares? <strike>Besides my mom? Just kidding, my mom doesn't read this blog.</strike><br />
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Thanks for joining me (or searching for "where is the real hogwarts" and ending up here). Have an awesome day, and don't forget to tip your server.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-76013783972372536672012-06-26T09:42:00.002-04:002012-06-26T09:42:48.233-04:00Gimme Your Summer Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a recent sweltering night I joined someone who is actually qualified to give feedback on a new menu and did my part by documenting it. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-who-HATE-it-when-people-take-PICTURES-of-their-FOOD/107526312603155" target="_blank">Not everyone likes to take pictures of their food.</a><br />
<a href="http://fussylittleblog.com/2012/06/26/summer-at-creo-the-chef-vs-the-menu-2/" target="_blank">Read Daniel B.'s post here.</a> I am grateful to be invited--THANK YOU!<br />
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Remember that Creo isn't tucked away on an adorable side street of rowhouses or shops - it's in Stuyvesant Plaza but it's unconnected, so it's floating in between the road and the massive parking lot. I don't think they have outdoor seating...but who would want to be hanging in the parking lot anyway? What it lacks in the outside it makes up for inside. It's super funky with tons of pendant lights, mirrors, crazy high ceiling, and copper colored tabletops. <br />
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Cheese plate. Loved them all. Led to a short discussion about how most strawberries are covered in poison. Fresh figs are delicious and make me think of The Land.<br />
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Watermelon, watercress, feta, jicama, pepita, citrus. This was my FAVORITE DISH! What could possibly go wrong? The watercress was kind of wild and and curlier than usual and I loved it. The chef said it wasn't a big seller. Things That Make Me Sad. <br />
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Halibut over sweet corn puree. Inexplicable tartar sauce and lobster hat. Loved the fish and the corn was yummmmmmm. I like green beans but it was funny to have them hanging out in the puree. Like green kayaks.<br />
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Diver scallop and cauliflower puree. Loved the puree. Hmm piece of thing from the ocean sitting on puree of a vegetable. Where have I seen this? I liked it though. My scallop was seared a little more perfectly crust-wise than the Profussor's. <br />
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Berry explosion with cake. The homemade ice cream was my favorite part. I thought the cake was kind of a snooze. What if it were a waffle? That would be fun.<br />
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I really enjoyed my first meal at Creo <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/03/creo.html" target="_blank">over a year ago</a>, and I'd definitely go back and get some of the summer dishes I've now had the pleasure of trying. Like the watermelon/watercress salad, but in extra-large size. <br />
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It is disheartening to hear directly from chef Brian Bowden about the politics of changing a menu. I think that's why I like small places with ever-changing menus on a chalkboard. I want what's fresh and best NOW, and if my favorite thing isn't on the menu that week, that's probably a good thing, because it's not what it could be.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-31053350677280100942012-06-19T08:53:00.003-04:002012-06-19T08:55:13.390-04:00All Over The InternetI haven't been posting much. It's a pet peeve of mine when people apologize for that because it makes it seem like someone cares, and really the writer should just move on to their post. So I'm not apologetic, but I will tell you what you've missed since I haven't been posting it here. However, I want to note that if you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you probably haven't missed much, but my characters have been limited (which is probably a good thing. Too bad in real life I have more than 140 each time I open my mouth).<br />
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So, time passes. We celebrated a birthday, an anniversary, anticipated a friend's baby, went to a wedding, and had a bunch of visitors. Mostly, I cooked or assembled. Sometimes we went out.<br />
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I was still all over the internet. I'm in love with <a href="http://static-cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/live/viewer:62.swf?vrsl=c%3A214&cid=317016&v3=1&bgcolor=000000&campaign=facebook&rmalang=en_US&wpisrc=nl_lunchln&Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost" target="_blank">these Shiba Inu puppies</a>. And <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/06/14/9-best-and-worst-covers-of-hit-song-call-me-maybe.html" target="_blank">a few of these Call Me Maybes</a>. <a href="http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/303688_10151040921408000_1698251753_n.jpg" target="_blank">This</a> makes me laugh. And of course, I was posting on Instagram and Twitter all this time.<br />
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ICYMI:<br />
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This photo is from Memorial Day weekend, when we had two friends stay over on Friday, a sister and grandparents on Saturday and Sunday, and parents on Tuesday (<a href="http://www.ride2remember.com/" target="_blank">on their way up north</a>). <br />
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We went to an awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV8ZNcyZvqU&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">wedding</a>, and a friend we've known since we were 5 and 6 years old literally rode in on a white horse and married his beautiful bride.<br />
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For two weeks straight I was addicted to knitting this blanket in all of my free time. One of those weeks I was home alone with pup and knitting time was fairly short, but I fit it in whenever I could.<br />
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3/4 of us had chicken and waffle (singular) at <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/08/hatties.html" target="_blank">Hattie's</a>, plus one crabcake eggs benedict. The poached eggs were hard inside but they were happy to make them pretty quickly. Sitting on the covered patio is really relaxing and there was no wait for brunch. <br />
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We took Henry hiking for the first time, a short one in Thacher Park. Not one, but two people told us he looked "just like" another dog they knew. He was bringing back memories left and right.<br />
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The rest of the summer is going to be great. Another boating day on Lake George, two more weddings, a bachelorette party (whooooa watch out), and many more meals.<br />
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I hope you're enjoying this unbelievable weather week and that you had a great weekend!<br />
<br />Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-30357176905006728582012-05-06T15:52:00.002-04:002012-05-06T17:49:54.076-04:00My Favorite v. The Best v. I Like ItWhat makes something The Best? Is it the best because it's been compared to others and really is, in the end, The Best? Or is it the best because it's your favorite? Or is it the best because you really like it, and everything else is just meh.<br />
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Sometimes I think about this when we figure out where to have a meal. For me, value has a lot to do with what makes an eatery great. Note that value includes not only good food but also good service. The more expensive the meal, the better experience I demand. If that's not the case, I'd rather spend less. When we go out sometimes in the Albany area, I think: Will this be better than <a href="http://alashanghai.net/" target="_blank">Ala Shanghai</a>? At Ala Shanghai we may only spend $25 for the two of us, even with leftovers. And it's fresh, delicious food with big flavor and lots of texture. It's hard to get a better bang for our buck with a sit-down restaurant. Of course, you're not <i>always</i> in the mood for soup dumplings. Or maybe you are.<br />
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Take it over to my birthday, where we enjoyed the tasting menu at the <a href="http://winebaronlark.com/" target="_blank">Wine Bar on Lark</a>. Now, it certainly wasn't $25 (although that was the wine pairing price--a STEAL), but it was truly phenomenal. Chef Jason Baker created such a personalized, thoughtful menu where dinner truly was the show (it took a few hours, which allows one of you to maybe drive home). Even at more than 6 times our Ala price point, I was happy with the value we received. I couldn't repeat that experience frequently, but you see what I mean.<br />
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So. Is the Wine Bar <i>my favorite</i>? Is it <i>the best</i>? What about Andy's Subs Carmen's Colossal or the 42nd Street--I truly <b>love</b> eating those sandwiches, and they are $8 each. What about Ala Shanghai? Or <a href="http://www.karavallilatham.com/" target="_blank">Karavalli</a>, where I have an addiction to the Bhel Poori. Or <a href="http://allgoodbakers.weebly.com/" target="_blank">All Good Bakers</a>, where I feel like I'd sell my kidney for a warm savory scone. <br />
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To wrap up, if I feel like I could make something better at home (and I'm not a tremendous cook, but I'm okay--particularly with breakfast) then I will not be back to that restaurant. Or if another restaurant does it way better (I'm looking at Ala compared to the purported "Chinese" "restaurants"--quotes necessary to denote the ick--in the strip malls near our house, where the food is plentiful and SUPER cheap but you'd rather not eat it). If I think I've had better at a lower price, I won't be back. But if there's value, you'll be seeing me again.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-20510044369750654762012-04-03T20:35:00.000-04:002012-04-03T20:35:45.566-04:00Whether You Live Here Or Not<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B0Y3WU_J-Zs/T3uVDuK5K0I/AAAAAAAAE6E/02paK6o1j1A/s1600/DSC06917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B0Y3WU_J-Zs/T3uVDuK5K0I/AAAAAAAAE6E/02paK6o1j1A/s640/DSC06917.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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Whether you live here or not, you know that <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/bestof2011/best-sandwich-shop/171/">Subway isn't the best sandwich</a> we have to offer. You know this especially well if you've had Andy's Subs while visiting me (that's at least 4 of you). Subway smells icky, and Andy's Subs smell like fresh happy yummy omg they put that all together on a sandwich? I cut those suckers into four pieces, and 3 people can happily share 2 sandwiches, with a little left over.<br />
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Whether you live here or not, you <i>know</i> deep down in the pit of your stomach (and if you are like me then it is a deep, deep pit waiting for delicious duck confit hash and eggs) that our best burger is not from <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/bestof2011/best-hamburger/175/">Five Guys</a>. We may not have a Ray's Hell-Burger (or anything close) but we certainly can do better than FG, and <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2012/03/whats-making-me-happy.html">we have</a>.<br />
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So go <a href="http://fussylittleblog.com/2012/03/30/fussylittleballot-3-0/">here</a> and check out Daniel's list of picks on his <a href="http://fussylittleblog.com/">FUSSYlittleBLOG</a>, because, as you might have read, he's on a mission to make things change. Because he, like you, knows that Cold Stone Creamery is certainly not our best ice cream store. #1 it's not "ours" at all, and #2 it's not the best. And I have a lot of experience in this area so I can say it definitively.<br />
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Keep in mind that Daniel may be Fussy, but he's not bossy. We <a href="http://fussylittleblog.com/2012/03/26/building-the-ballot-wrap-up/">built this ballot</a> together over time and comments. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxGGckAc1rs">Sing it.</a>) I'm not all that helpful having lived in the Capital Region for all of 16 months, and part of that was in a hotel in Latham. And sometimes I disagree with the Ballot; but the idea is to agree that we're going to agree (not disagree) for a higher case: to change the results. <br />
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For anyone who's confused, it's like the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430634/">Stick It</a>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnl3BH_sgSY&feature=related">we're picking the winners</a>, on OUR terms. And it'll only work if we all buy in. So get Fussy and <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/best_of_2012/">get votin</a>'. Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-36244455329986287662012-03-26T07:00:00.001-04:002012-03-26T07:00:09.777-04:00All Good Bakers - New LocationIn case you <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/03/20/all-good-bakers-delaware-avenue-location-opens">missed</a> the <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/29700/all-good-bakers-opening-new-location-on-wednesday/">news</a>, All Good Bakers moved from Quail Street (also known as, why would I ever be over there in the first place/inconvenient for my life) to 540 Delaware Ave, right next to the Yoga Loft (much closer to my life). <br />
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So you can do some yoga and then eat some feel-good vegetarian farm-fresh happy food. Or, like me, you can skip the yoga and go straight to the food. Seriously, I am the WORST at yoga. I'm more likely to have brunch there and stop at Jim's Tastee Freeze on the way home. <br />
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There are a few more seats in this location than the last, but that same charming feeling that--and I mean this in a good way--you might be in an episode of Portlandia. <br />
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The place was jamming when I dropped by only 90 minutes before closing time on Saturday. I got the last sourdough loaf (YUM) and a Philmore (pastry dough stuffed with apple happiness). Then I ran my errands at Target, BJ's, and Marshall's, and when I got back into my car it smelled like my Ford Fusion used to be a bread factory--maybe even that morning. Amazing smells. Eventually I'll sit down again for a grilled cheese, seitan sandwich, seasonal soup, or scone. <br />
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Because the Northway Mall needs like 8 more stop signs than it has, I got hungry before I even got to the light that let's you leave. Thank goodness for that Philmore and the end of the loaf. Sorry J - I had bought the Philmore for you. But you still have chocolate chip mandel bread, <a href="http://littlebrowniebakers.com/products/samoas/">Samoas</a>, leftover chocolate chocolate chip cookies that my coworker made for me...you'll live.<br />
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Go visit, and try to knock The Profussor from <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/FUSSYlittleBLOG/status/182502433367392259">Dukedom</a>. A little competition would be great for the shop.<br />
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<a href="http://allgoodbakers.weebly.com/">All Good Bakers</a><br />
540 Delaware Ave<br />
Albany, NY<br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Wed-Fri 8am - 3pm<br />
<span></span>Sat/Sun 9am - 3pm with brunch</span></span></strong>Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-19245664309726984162012-03-04T18:20:00.000-05:002012-03-04T18:20:20.549-05:00What's Making Me HappyIf you listen to the NPR podcast <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/archives/archive.php?thingId=129472378">Pop Culture Happy Hour</a> then you might enjoy the last segment, called "What's Making Me Happy This Week." Well, here's what's making <i>me</i> happy this weekend.<br />
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On Friday we were low on dining ideas, so we ordered two pizzas from Bellini's. We've never been to a Bellini's or ordered before, but I've heard about the deals they do for takeout from some parents in my office. With pizza we figure we'll try almost anything once--very open-minded. We ordered the meatball and ricotta pizza and the Da Nico (spinach, prosciutto, & goat cheese), and yes, I was also wondering why some had names and some were merely the name of the key ingredients. The smaller size of each (12 inches) brought us to $31. This becomes important later. <br />
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We had plenty left over, which brings me to my favorite part about the pizza: eating a slice of Da Nico from the toaster oven with over easy eggs on top for brunch after a long run, with a side of sliced pear and Nutella of course. YUM. <br />
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Saturday night we wanted to go out, and once we got soup dumplings in our mind there was no doubt we were off to Latham and Ala Shanghai. When we were there last on Christmas Eve with family, some of our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao">XLB</a> were deflated and desoupified--the place was jamming, and we ate them anyway. Last night each one was soupy and super hot. But the star of the show was the eggplant in our eggplant and chicken dish. I'm not sure why the eggplant tasted like magic, but it did. I'm surprised we had any left over--when we were both admittedly full we continued to nab pieces of eggplant until it was getting ridiculous and we HAD to stop eating. Soup dumplings and two large entrees brought us to $25, AND we had leftovers and complimentary tea. Quality, value, and a truly delightful atmosphere are what keep me schlepping to Latham from south of the border.<br />
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Lastly, what's making me happy this weekend is a new-to-me hamantaschen dough recipe from <a href="http://www.notderbypie.com/hamentaschen/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NotDerbyPie+%28Not+Derby+Pie++%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Not Derby Pie</a> that yielded 21 cookies, none of which flapped open. NONE. J says they are the best-looking hammies I've ever made. I liked that they were really fast to make--no refrigerating for hours or overnight, a quick 30 minutes did the trick (I recommend cleaning in between....or making another batch of hammies). I'm still making a batch of these from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/03/hamantaschen/">smitten kitchen</a> (with the cream cheese) because I do really like the taste of that cookie, but I've had varying success with the shaping. <br />
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Lastly, but certainly not least, we watched most of Cool Runnings this weekend. It had been way too long since we saw that movie, and we couldn't tear ourselves away. Really brought us back to '93.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-49678561963452428352012-02-12T08:10:00.000-05:002012-02-12T08:10:00.389-05:00News Good and BadBad news: <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/03/miss-albany-diner.html">Miss Albany Diner</a> closed. Even the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/nyregion/miss-albany-diner-a-landmark-is-closing.html">New York Times</a> got in on the coverage, but it burns me up that they didn't mention where the building came from (my <a href="http://www.jerseyporkroll.com/welovenewjersey.htm">favorite</a> place). That's right, the building was made in Silk City, also home to a certain someone's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j1jkYAmIs4">salsa</a>. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of it now that it's joined the Matt Baumgartner club. As an Olde English and Bomber's fan (Wolff's I'm not so sure about) I hope it's interesting and different. <br />
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Good news: We had the burger at <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2012/01/eating-at-bars.html">Merry Monk</a> and it was AWESOME. Cooked perfectly (at "medium" it was still plenty pink inside, but not scary pink), flavorful, and totally opposite of the dry or tasteless gray matter I've encountered at most establishments (not just in Albany--everywhere). It happened to be the special Add some Three Philosophers and you are golden. Man I love beer.<br />
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Next burger on my list to try is at City Beer Hall. Anyone have it and care to weigh in?<br />
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Considering plenty of people wait in the cold or uncomfortably near the bathroom for a seat at Hattie's, I'm curious about why they chose to run a LivingSocial. Maybe because I recently listened to an old radio segment about the economics of Groupon, and also because I am one of those people who has waited in the cold or uncomfortably near the bathroom, and the place doesn't seem to need more fans. Or maybe it does? Out of season, particularly? <br />
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Hope you're all having a great weekend.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-41331464901871734792012-01-25T06:30:00.005-05:002012-01-25T06:30:01.899-05:00New Year's Eve @ New World Bistro BarI should probably tell you officially how much I enjoyed spending NYE @ NWBB.<br />
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NWBB is always a blast and it's always interesting. When I heard they were doing a special NYE menu I knew it was way more up our alley than an open bar situation anywhere else. Two drinks is enough for me; the food should be the star. Luckily <a href="http://twitter.com/stanfordsteph">Steph</a> and A shared our interest so we enjoyed good food <i>and</i> good company. Look how cute our rolly menus are.<br />
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I began with the BLT salad with Bibb lettuce, rabbit bacon, and sundried tomato confit. I really liked the gorgonzola ranch dressing and the polenta croutons, too. If I assembled it myself, of course I'd add more of the bunnybacon. Everyone enjoyed theirs, but I think A's dish wins for prettiest.<br />
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Fried black-eyed peas and rice made for delightful Hoppin' John fritters for course two.<br />
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But I had the grape risotto and loooved it. It, er, doesn't photograph well.<br />
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\ Oh hey, tamale and surf & turf. <br />
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Red and white tuna duo<br />
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For my entree I chose the Thai-style red snapper with spicy tamarind glaze. YUM! I thought about the seitan because green tea soba noodles sounded fun, and it would be served in a kombucha squash. <br />
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As ingredients dwindled throughout the night, the crispy rice paper lemon cloud napoleon went from lemony to Nutella-y. Yes, yes, yes. Also pictured above: ice cream sundaeeeeee.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEqKLZZlBxA/TxyeGOf5KuI/AAAAAAAAExY/TjCeOt4EpMQ/s1600/photo+4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEqKLZZlBxA/TxyeGOf5KuI/AAAAAAAAExY/TjCeOt4EpMQ/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
Chevre cheesecake from Nettle Meadows Farm. The little baby jar is adorable, and the "cake" was not really sweet at all--it was creamy and deliciousm no need for crazy sugar. <br />
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The Italian Greyhound cocktail was a little too tart for me, even though I love grapefruit. 3/4 of us started with a special New Year's Eve cocktail that had cava and cognac. We had more dishes, some of which just didn't photograph well. Obviously we all had favorites, but no one was disappointed in any of the dishes. The menu is full of whimsy and creativity, which is so important when dinner <i>is</i> the show.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-42381293712989406432012-01-22T18:30:00.001-05:002012-10-05T20:07:48.993-04:00Eating at BarsIn the past it was unlikely you'd find J and I at bars on Friday and Saturday nights, but I think we finally found our time/place/manner for watering hole attendance. The ideal situation is as follows:<br />
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- 8pm<br />
- Bar that has real food, not just mozzarella sticks, loaded potato skins, and chicken fingers. (Delicious chicken wings are real food, FWIW.) Also: non-fratty beers.<br />
- 2-4 additional friends<br />
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Recently we had some good times at three establishments that meet the criteria.<br />
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<b><a href="http://thecitybeerhall.com/">City Beer Hall</a> </b>has a really nice environment, particularly in the winter. It's lodgy and roomy, there's a fireplace. One of their gimmicks is that with every drink ordered you get a ticket for a free little pizza. The pizzas are, as I said, little (teeny) and thin, but they are food and they are free. The <a href="http://thecitybeerhall.com/menu/index.php">beers on tap</a> are actually interesting and include a bunch from NY (as they should). Next time we go I want the Juicy Lucy, a New York grass-fed burger stuffed with gouda. YUM. J would probably choose the chicken & waffles. I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
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On a weekday it was easy for 8 or so of us to comfortably hang out and talk. Note: There is a mechanical bull, but I gathered that it's upstairs, which was closed off because of a private party. Next time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/79/1623773/restaurant/The-City-Beer-Hall-Albany"><img alt="The City Beer Hall on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1623773/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Merry-Monk/214855781908352"><b>The Merry Monk</b> </a>was also comfortably quiet on a recent weekday--3/4 of us were on winter break, and it was nice to catch up without loud craziness going on. A lot of good Belgian and Belgian-style beers were available, including all the Ommegangs. Mussels and other yums await. We liked the frites, but <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/28369/first-look-merry-monk/">apparently they were frozen</a>. Shows how refined our taste is--give us hot fries and some tasty dipping sauce and we're psyched. The only issues we had were that a few beers were out (which we weren't told until we ordered, after spending probably too much time figuring that part out) and our server didn't seem particularly knowledgeable about the beers. Which is a problem if you're working at a place that prides itself on having all Belgian or Belgian-style beers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/79/1646952/restaurant/The-Merry-Monk-Albany"><img alt="The Merry Monk on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1646952/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_618976267"><br />
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<a href="http://www.theoldeenglish.com/"><b>The Olde English</b></a> delighted us with fried wonders. Battered sausage, fries, and fried cod were all delicious. Don't go for the battered sausage alone, though; it's a salty situation, so a few bites are all you need. The lamb sliders were pretty good, but there was too much bread for the meat, which was disappearing in the fluff. I stuck to oatmeal stouts and was pleased in the beverage department. Fun surprise: games, from Jenga to Scrabble and beyond. A little sad: so damned loud. So very, very loud. Obviously this varies from night to night (unless it's always loud, in which case, sorry I gave you hope of respite). <br />
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Where else should I go for these kinds of excursions?Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-75272061193194806672012-01-08T17:33:00.001-05:002012-01-08T17:51:37.997-05:00Long Goodbye to Route 17 Trader Joe'sTrader Joe's is opening in Albany. If it opens in April, I'll only have lived without one locally for 17 months, which isn't so bad.<br />
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My first TJ was in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailey%27s_Crossroads,_Virginia">Bailey's Crossroads</a>. Since then they've built one in <a href="http://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-on-foot/2011/12/clarendon-trader-joe-s-presents-the-tastiest-metro-ride-ever-14111.html">Clarendon</a>. Then we enjoyed having <a href="http://www.downtownbethesda.com/guide/bethesda.php?pid=0474">Bethesda</a> nearby. Since we've moved to Albany we stop on Route 17 in NJ on our way home and shop in Paramus. We pack our frozen and fridge items together to keep cool for the next 2 hours home. <br />
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The <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping/28006/you-asked-for-it-you-go-it-trader-joes/">news</a> outlets were <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/01/06/biz-review-trader-joes-confirms-wolf-road-location">all</a> atwitter, some folks are all about <a href="http://www.ridiculousfoodsociety.net/2012/01/bugger-off-trader-joes.html">not caring</a>, and a lot of people are promising not to go there because of the traffic. <a href="http://www.fridaypuppy.com/index.php/2012/01/08/trader-joes-on-wolf-road/">Some people</a> (I'm included, but it's just a twinge of eh) wish it was in a different location. I'd like if it were built in an empty lot in my neighborhood, personally. <br />
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About the traffic: popular places are crowded. For proof, go to any Cheesecake Factory (mind = boggled, every time). I can't imagine parking and shopping at the Wolf Road Trader Joe's will be any less pleasant than the Pentagon City Costco. I can't imagine the line will be anything like the Union Square TJ before UWS opened (you'd walk in and start standing in line, picking up things from aisles as you waited and moved forward). But perspective is key in complain-y situations of all sorts, right? A long commute to work is better than not having a job? Ouch, how the diamond encrusted floors are ripping up my feet.<br />
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One thing I like about TJ is that it's small and it doesn't take me a long time to go from one side to the other when I've forgotten something--maybe I'm not the most organized shopper. I like that I know the products and know where to find them quickly; I can find my favorites and move on.<br />
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<b>Nobody makes me go to Burger King or weird mall fake Chinese food places (or insert other stuff I wouldn't touch), so if you don't want to go to Trader Joe's, chances are you'll be safe from a kidnapping that locks you in there unwillingly. In fact, I hereby swear on my lemon pepper pappardelle (with olive oil, parmesan, and peas) that I will not personally force you to go to a store that "doesn't impress" you and that you think is "overhyped." I will definitely not pick you up on my way there.</b><br />
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Most of the items that I buy at Trader Joe's either only exist (to my knowledge) there or are less expensive there than other places. I'm also not much of a couponer. I don't like playing games, just give me the lowest price you can, consistently. I don't need Hannaford or Price Chopper almond butter for $10 when I can get it at TJ for $5. I don't need Amazon's glucosamine chondroitin (dog vitamin for joints) for $25 (or PetSmart's for $28) when it's $9.99 at TJ for 20 fewer tablets. Ten cents per tablet v. twenty cents per tablet. You don't have to be a hippie or obsessed with organic or have a food sensitivity to appreciate not being overcharged. <br />
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Today's haul included the following items:<br />
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Challah rolls, 4: $2.49<br />
Reduced sugar organic strawberry preserves: $2.99 <br />
Brown rice pasta (they also had corn pasta, 3 shelves of gluten free in all):$1.99<br />
Whole wheat organic pasta: $1.39<br />
Israeli couscous: $1.99<br />
Chocolate chips (pareve <br />
Lemon pepper pappardelle: $1.99<br />
Spinach and chive linguine: $1.99<br />
Whole wheat Middle Eastern flatbread: $2.49<br />
Dark chocolate covered cherries: $4.49<br />
Garbanzo beans: $0.89<br />
Tomato basil past sauce: $1.79<br />
Glucosamine for pets (hips, joints--100 count, FYI on Amazon it's $25 for 120): $9.99 <br />
Steamed lentils (refrig section - love these in salads): $2.99<br />
Beef cabernet pot roast: $12.58<br />
Mild fresh salsa: $2.99 <br />
Roasted vegetable frozen pizza with no cheese: $4.29<br />
Frozen brown rice packets (4 per box I think, 1 packet for dinner for 2 with leftovers): $2.99<br />
Chicken drumettes: $3.79<br />
Annie Chun's Udon Noodle Bowls (emergency lunch for work): $1.99<br />
Clif Zbar: $0.69<br />
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Lastly, the people who work there are typically very friendly and helpful. They'll ring that bell and have someone get you a new marinating roast when the plastic was punctured on the one you chose. The bagging is exceptional--we used to bet in Virginia whether or not they'd be able to fit all our stuff in the bags we brought; otherwise we'd be going home with some <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/4689302/">future wrapping paper</a>.<br />
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Obviously, I welcome Trader Joe's with open arms. I'd love to see Wegman's (a much different and much larger store) follow soon.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-74683429059935739532012-01-03T08:00:00.007-05:002012-01-03T10:40:46.112-05:00Cooking and Eating Over the HolidaysHolidays = guests = cooking. Thanks, people, for showing up so I can make crazy quantities of stuff and not have to eat it for lunch and dinner myself every day! <br />
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Chocola<span style="font-family: inherit;">te chip banana bread muffins are important for breakfast, snack, or dessert. The recipe is from my college ro</span>ommate--she sent me a Word document of 5 recipes, some with applesauce replacing this or that, and I picked my favorite. I make it about once per month; if you've got some browning bananas and the regular baking necessities, you've got this treat.<br />
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<div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Banana Chocolate Chip Bread</b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b> <i>(as given to me, my comments in italics)</i></b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup butter</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup sugar</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 eggs</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 mashed, ripe bananas, <i>but if you have 2 or 4 you're all good.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 cups flour</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon baking soda</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 cup chocolate chips</span><span style="font-size: small;">, <i>but I add more because it's good luck</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, then bananas. Add flour, baking soda, salt, mixing well. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips. Pour into a greased loaf pan <i>or muffin tin (fill to the very top)</i> and bake for 60 - 70 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. <i>Take down the baking time if you decide to do mini muffins or mini loaves.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/271839/pumpkin-pancakes">Pumpkin pancakes</a> are also an important part of hosting. I eyeball the spices, use some pumpkin pie spice in place of small amounts of all that compose it, add chocolate chips, and often sub for white whole wheat flour, if I have it. I add the choc chips once the batter is down in the pan, 3-5 per (small) pancake. If I mixed them into the batter beforehand I'm pretty sure they'd just sink. </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made pumpkin pancakes for our erev New Year's brunch guests, but our Chanukah guests still had some pumpkin in the form of the Whole Foods <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/467">turkey pumpkin chili</a>, this time whipped up by J. Their brunch was strata-riffic, with both <a href="http://corcoranstreetkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/stuffed-baked-french-toast.html">sweet </a>and <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aida-mollenkamp/spicy-strata-recipe/index.html">savory</a>. On <a href="http://www.jewfaq.org/search.htm?Keywords=erev">erev</a> Christmas we went to Ala Shanghai for a delicious meal. The only disappointment that night was that our soup dumplings were mostly deflated (and thus unsouped). Also, I think I'd like to ask to keep the rest of the Peking duck after it's sliced up tableside onto the individual bun sandwiches. There seemed to be at least a sandwich of meat still on the bones, and our particular table would have enjoyed getting it!</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Christmas Day I took some silver tip (last cut of roast available at the kosher Chop early in the afternoon before the holy sabbath, a little leaner than I wanted), two cans of tomatoes, a beer, garlic, onion, and potato and bid it farewell for 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. I baked challah with <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/09/ah-challah-recipe-you-say.html">my aunt's recipe</a> that I've been using forever, but in a Chanukah miracle, it came out lighter and fluffier than ever before. I never measure the flour, so maybe my eyeballs did better this time than before.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our <a href="http://adventuresoncstreet.wordpress.com/">Sisterfriend</a> cooked the most delicious latkes I've had in years--one russet potato, two sweet potatoes, a handful of small onions, some egg and flour (I wasn't watching that closely...), salt, and pepper. <a href="http://www.metrocurean.com/article.aspx?section=1&page=23989">Parevized</a> J&G soup (sans butter) with quinoa and salad started us off. Below is our festive Chanukah table. Thanks to our special non-relative <a href="http://twitter.com/wafflew">guests</a> for the red sparkly deliciousness. </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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Happy January, everyone. I hope you cooked and/or ate some delicious things over the past few weeks.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-58829443411926157892011-12-31T08:00:00.044-05:002011-12-31T08:00:01.378-05:002011, The Year Of...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CCbAJGjXmAY/TZkqcrJ_75I/AAAAAAAAD_4/wUuTytFhf1o/s1600/DSC06053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CCbAJGjXmAY/TZkqcrJ_75I/AAAAAAAAD_4/wUuTytFhf1o/s640/DSC06053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> Corning Preserve, March 2011<br />
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My friend Jenna asked me "So what was this the year of?" Unsurprisingly, I couldn't think of one particular thing to define the year.<br />
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But 2011 was big for us. It was our first full year as residents of the Capital Region, far from the big city that we called home for the start of our adult life, as well as <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">its</a> <a href="http://wmata.com/">many</a> <a href="http://wholefoods.com/">amenities</a>. The second half of the year also made it the year of The <a href="http://www.zillow.com/">House</a>, <a href="http://rbari.org/">The Dog</a>, and The Second Car--none of which would have been possible for us without that first part, the move. And, of course, the marathon invaded all other thoughts from April to November, and my body (in new ways) from August to Central Park.<br />
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In travel, it was a year of new North American cities. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/07/postcard-from-portland-version-brunch.html">Portland</a>, Oregon. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/06/postcard-from-kansas-city.html"> Kansas City</a> and <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/05/postcard-from-st-louis.html">St. Louis</a>, Missouri. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/04/postcard-from-montreal.html">Montreal</a>, Quebec. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/01/baba-louies-hudson-ny.html">Hudson</a> (which we've come to know better and love). We hadn't even been to <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/08/hatties.html">Saratoga Springs</a> before (I'm discounting a meeting where I only saw the inside of a conference room). <br />
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For tea, J seeped most of the year with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twinings-Prince-Wales-20-Count-Boxes/dp/B000F4J746">Prince of Wales</a> (like 2010) and I had <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Celestial-Seasonings-Vanilla-Chamomile-20-Count/dp/B000E682DC">Honey Vanilla Chamomile</a>. <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/search/label/Brunch">Brunch </a>almost always means corned beef hash for one of us, and quick lunch or cheap early dinner often meant Andy's & Sons subs. In 2011, having company meant having brunch, dinner, or apps and drinks at <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-world-bistro-bar.html">New World Bistro Bar</a>. But in our own kitchen, it was the year of grilled <a href="http://www.hannaford.com/product/Hannaford-Multigrain-Pizza-Dough-Ball/845594.uts?refineByCategoryId=46686#">pizza</a>, grated ginger,<a href="http://www.carnivoreandvegetarian.com/2010/09/crispy-no-knead-bread.html"> crispy no-knead </a>bread, and the slow cooker.<br />
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In fresh and local, it was most definitely the year of the cherry. When we talk about <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/07/picking-at-samascott-orchards.html">picking cherries </a>back in July, our eyes light up, our faces flush, and we ooze with joy. J had never even <i>tasted</i> a cherry before this past summer, and there we were, plucking them from trees on a clear sunny day and eating several pounds entirely too quickly. <br />
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I'm not sure what 2012 will bring. We have a <a href="http://gardenbistro24.com/">list</a> of new (to us) <a href="http://www.winebaronlark.com/">restaurants</a> to try, so we can <a href="http://www.gingerman-ny.com/">start </a>there. More new places to check out, including <a href="http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=tor">Toronto</a>, <a href="http://vanderbilt.edu/">Nashville</a>, and--fingers-crossed--some cities across the Atlantic. And maybe we'll get our act together and decorate our house.<br />
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If you're curious (I was), the last post of 2010 was T<a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/12/roundups-of-roundups.html">he Roundup of Roundups</a>. In 2009 it was <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2009/12/happy-chanukah-to-us-love-todd-gray.html">Chanukah at Equinox</a>. In 2008 I was <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2008/12/finals.html">buried in finals</a>, and in 2007 I was <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2007/12/rasika.html">giddy over Rasika</a>, upscale modern Indian cuisine that is entertaining <i>and</i> delicious.<br />
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A very happy new year to you and yours.Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-75457582411942743392011-12-30T09:00:00.007-05:002011-12-30T09:00:13.340-05:00How You Got Here, in 2011I write this blog completely for fun. When it's not fun (or <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2008/11/catch-up.html">life takes over</a>), I stop posting. Every time I think I might never post again, I experience the need to overshare (where better than the internet?) about a certain recipe or meal or restaurant.<br />
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I'm not a huge stats-watcher, but the best part of visiting Google Analytics once every three or four months is that it will show me, among other things, <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/04/personal-responses-to-your-keyword.html">the search terms</a> people used to arrive at <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/07/last-day-of-july.html">search results</a>, and from those search results, <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-ever-happened-to-spring-friday.html">pick a link</a> to this blog. And there are some gems. <br />
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This year, three out of the top five search terms that lead people to this blog are Harry Potter-related. Thank you to EmM for<a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/06/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter.html"> that guest post on the Wizarding World</a>. People continue to search for the Best Burger In Virginia. C'mon, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-hell-burger-arlington-2">you know where it is</a>. And people are still wondering (with no answer from me) whether injera is kosher for Passover.<br />
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My usual Google strategy is pretty standard. Type in words related to what I'm looking for, often in no particular order (for example, "car harness labrador" or "kristen stewart bella wedding dress"). It's pretty cute how people type complete questions into search engines.* Such as:<br />
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<i>how many calories are in a teaism soba noodle bento box</i><br />
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<i>is injera kosher for passover</i> (and variations)<br />
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<i>ray's hellburger, metro accessible?</i>: <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/04/personal-responses-to-your-keyword.html">Yes, yes</a>, a thousand times yes. Courthouse (walk downhill) or Rosslyn (walk uphill), and it's not far from either. Don't be a wimp. <br />
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<i>where is hogwarts</i> (and variations)<br />
<i> </i><br />
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<i>how to spend a good time with my boyfriend in dc</i> (that's for another blog, ma' friend)<br />
<i> </i><i> </i><br />
<i>where can i buy sheepsmilk in chicago</i><br />
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<i>who is ray of rays the steaks</i>: Um, Michael Landrum?<i> </i><br />
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<i>why round challah at rosh hashanah</i>: Symbolizes the year, which is cyclical and whole, starting anew at Rosh Hashanah<br />
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<i>what bus takes you to comet ping pong</i>: <a href="http://wmata.com/">There's a site for that</a>. <br />
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Search terms I can't explain include anything to do with Snooki and Brielle (I had <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/01/jersey-shore-not-snooki-kind.html">breakfast in Brielle</a>, but I wasn't giving out directions to Snooki's beach house, and furthermore, why do you want those!) and anything written in Russian (at least, I think it's Russian).<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/">Urbanspoon</a>, <a href="http://alloveralbany.com/">All Over Albany</a>, and <a href="http://google.com/">Google </a>for being my top three referring sites.<br />
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I'm looking forward to seeing you, however you got here, in 2012. <br />
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*Extra adorable to the people who include the question mark. Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-24492143454792994472011-12-28T12:00:00.005-05:002011-12-28T12:00:05.553-05:00AcaciaWe have some fabulous newlyweds in our life, including<a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-true-we-ate-all-that-stuff-at.html"> F and M</a>. Getting together with them often poses a difficult question--to go out, or to stay in? See, while F, J, and I can certainly make a meal, M is a superb cook. He's fearless when it comes to complicated flavors and time-consuming methods, and he is incredibly optimistic.<br />
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But with Thanksgiving weekend upon us, I suggested that we all needed a night out without shopping or clean-up. F said we had several options in the area, but her original thought was closed for the holiday weekend. I'm not sorry at all that we ended up at Acacia.<br />
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Butternut squash quesadillas with mushrooms, cheddar, and white truffle aioli- not greasy at all, crunchy on the outside but not brittle, a little fluffy underneath that crust. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz9XJu6Tpzg/Tu6r7uUJaKI/AAAAAAAAEu4/52nVc6vd864/s1600/photo+3-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz9XJu6Tpzg/Tu6r7uUJaKI/AAAAAAAAEu4/52nVc6vd864/s400/photo+3-1.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
Fresh mozzarella, and on the long sides is a caramelized onion chutney that F and I were a little obsessed with. I'll take a bowl of chutney on the side, thanks?<br />
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Goat cheese and duck meatballs. F said that she could just get a few more of these and that could be a delicious meal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeRzwKJSHo4/Tu6t5W5407I/AAAAAAAAEvI/z0YHNFdmMlY/s1600/photo+2-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NeRzwKJSHo4/Tu6t5W5407I/AAAAAAAAEvI/z0YHNFdmMlY/s400/photo+2-2.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>Delicious red snapper with sweet potato and sage croquette/fritter. The spinach was the low point on my plate. It didn't really taste like anything, and I don't get why it was there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uOAeafD4LfM/Tu6t7D6Sc2I/AAAAAAAAEvQ/hkaea2Z-4Mg/s1600/photo+3-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uOAeafD4LfM/Tu6t7D6Sc2I/AAAAAAAAEvQ/hkaea2Z-4Mg/s400/photo+3-2.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>Blackened mahi, sprouts, and Dijon chived mashed potatoes. This dish was really good, adn I liked that it was completely different from mine. I hate when fish dish 1 and fish dish 2 taste exactly the same.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbBoqve4ZhQ/Tu6t8ZHCZ5I/AAAAAAAAEvY/LS4JzfuWuU8/s1600/photo+4-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wbBoqve4ZhQ/Tu6t8ZHCZ5I/AAAAAAAAEvY/LS4JzfuWuU8/s400/photo+4-2.JPG" width="298" /></a></div> Steeeeeeeeeeak. Matt was manly with this choice, and I don't remember tasting it. I gather it was quite good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SSJ0Wv7H7f4/Tu6rzcOi8YI/AAAAAAAAEuo/gInGRqvjX6E/s1600/photo+1-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SSJ0Wv7H7f4/Tu6rzcOi8YI/AAAAAAAAEuo/gInGRqvjX6E/s400/photo+1-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The star of the meal, in my opinion. J's 24-hour braised Colorado lamb shank. Serve with risotto and--NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, let's be honest, this lamb was off the hook. It reminded me of the goat shoulder at Komi. Not only was it delicious, but it looked badass. Very Flintstones. It's the texture of meat that I love, when you can fork it apart because it's so tender. Sawing a cut of meat into gray/brown squares will never make my To Do or Best Of list. If you go, make sure <i>someone</i> gets the lamb. Thanks.<br />
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Also, we were in BYO territory. And we brought it, wine-wise, with two <a href="http://atlaspeakvineyards.ewinerysolutions.com/index.cfm?method=storeproducts.showlist&productcategoryid=8da51a3f-1b78-7bfe-4c8c-592bb4c9a661">delicious </a>bottles that we easily finished. The <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/acacia-lawrenceville">Yelp </a>on Acacia is interesting. Overpriced? For the quality of our meal, I say no. "And they don't even serve wine?" To that I say, you are a fool. Bring your own and avoid a glass marked up to a price of 2/3 that bottle. "There was a loud business party there." That's timing, Bub.<br />
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8 Thumbs Up from our table of 4. Our service was great (a chiller/ice bucket for our wine, even though it was red, because hey some people might want that and be embarrassed to ask?), the breadbasket was super yummy, the ambiance was delightful (quiet but not silent, dim lighting but not pitch black), all around love.<br />
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<a href="http://acacianj.com/">Acacia Restaurant</a><br />
2637 Main Street<br />
Lawrenceville, NJ<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/53/580074/restaurant/North-Jersey/Lawrenceville-Twp/Acacia-Lawrenceville"><img alt="Acacia on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/580074/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-63751205818321414232011-12-19T09:00:00.005-05:002011-12-19T12:26:50.104-05:002nd Avenue Deli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My posts may be infrequent here, but that's because <a href="http://henrydoodle.tumblr.com/">I'm obsessed with my dog</a>. Moving on...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once, I ran the <a href="http://ingnycmarathon.com/">marathon</a>. And apparently I lost a ton of salt over that nearly four and a half hours, because afterward the thought of going to the 2nd Avenue Deli (located conveniently near Seester's apartment) made me freak out with excitement. The only things on my mind were PASTRAMI and MATZAH BALL SOUP. (In my mind they were <u>definitely</u> in all caps.) And when we got there that quickly changed to <i>pickles pickles pickles pickles</i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbib2R6LqC8/Tu6cb77qh0I/AAAAAAAAEuE/60NWvahkISE/s1600/photo+1%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cbib2R6LqC8/Tu6cb77qh0I/AAAAAAAAEuE/60NWvahkISE/s640/photo+1%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Awww, classic Hebrew-style font. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This soup was delicious. Little square noodles! The matzah ball's density was just right - no softballs in this biz.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Qo5Aj85p_c/Tu6cjHdui3I/AAAAAAAAEuU/VHJR6Kv8EYQ/s1600/photo+3%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Qo5Aj85p_c/Tu6cjHdui3I/AAAAAAAAEuU/VHJR6Kv8EYQ/s640/photo+3%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Knish. Pronounced cuh-nish, for the uninitiated. It was a pretty decent knish, its size and outer crust were the bomb. I've been really over potatoes lately, so I wouldn't go out of the way to order it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdW3K-VuKds/Tu6cm2e7lYI/AAAAAAAAEuc/kgFX_Wov46E/s1600/photo+4%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdW3K-VuKds/Tu6cm2e7lYI/AAAAAAAAEuc/kgFX_Wov46E/s640/photo+4%25282%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And delicious pastrami. It was everything I wanted and more. They had a meal option of half a sandwich and bowl of matzah ball soup for around $15 (remember, it's New York City <i>and</i> it's kosher). But I thought I got a good deal. Not only were the soup and sandwich delicious, the portion on this "half" sandwich was extremely generous. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We ended our meal with some weird but delicious chocolate soda in small glasses. I loved it. What was it? I'm not sure. But I loved it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll definitely back to the Deli. It's delicious, it's reasonable (thanks to good portions), and it's convenient to my dear Seester. And you just can't get good deli everywhere.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.2ndavedeli.com/">2nd Avenue Deli</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1442 1st Avenue (also 162 E. 33rd)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">NY, NY</div>Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-77153652839212400662011-12-05T08:03:00.001-05:002011-12-28T11:23:25.245-05:00Graffiato<a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/11/while-i-was-away.html">While I was away</a> we went to Graffiato. We arrived ready to eat some Italian-inspired cuisine with a fresh batch of <a href="http://reviewnotes.blogspot.com/">reviews from K</a>. I wasn't the biggest fan of Mike I in <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/search/label/TCDC">Top Chef DC,</a> but I always had a soft spot for <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2008/02/zaytinya.html">Zaytinya</a>, particularly for a group brunch. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Rrl2OduRfM/TtwdYeM_zQI/AAAAAAAAEsI/HvLSucivIFE/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Rrl2OduRfM/TtwdYeM_zQI/AAAAAAAAEsI/HvLSucivIFE/s640/photo+1.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
I wanted to order pretty much everything, and because some plates are probably small, you probably <i>could</i> if you brought a few more people.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwFwIdv1pj0/Ttwdjclb2-I/AAAAAAAAEtI/xrMBu6gQFPU/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MwFwIdv1pj0/Ttwdjclb2-I/AAAAAAAAEtI/xrMBu6gQFPU/s640/photo+5.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
Look how cute these bandit vegetables are! They're painted on the wall at the top of the stairs.<br />
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Let's kick it off with Saged & Confused. Handmade vodka, cucumber juice, sage, and lime. Cukes are my jam!<br />
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Chestnut agnolotti with butternut squash and browned butter. These little suckers can slide right down your throat without a thought, but you should take it slowly and savor it.<br />
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Cauliflower with pecorino and mint, flatbread with pepperoni sauce. Not easy to share such a small dish of delicious cauliflower among 4 people.<br />
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Striped bass with potato...good but not <i>great</i>.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The star! The best in taste <i>and</i> the best in value. The Countryman pizza with black truffle, fontina cheese, and a soft egg. The yolky truffleness was ridiiiiiculous. Crust was crispy and chewy at the same time, as a good crust must be. I could have eaten the whole thing, but that would have been unsportsmanlike!</div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgTiPPltT40/TtwdiH1dABI/AAAAAAAAEtA/SMy_yxCmAoU/s1600/photo+4%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xgTiPPltT40/TtwdiH1dABI/AAAAAAAAEtA/SMy_yxCmAoU/s400/photo+4%25281%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Talk about comfort food...this pumpkin risotto with smoked provolone (topped with toasty pepitas) was definitely good, but couldn't top the pizza. An egg on my food will almost always win.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So go to Graffiato, get a bunch of pizzas, maybe some vegetables as sides (but prepare for the dishes to be quite tiny). We saved some calories and dollar bills by enjoying tea and <a href="http://redvelvetcupcakery.com/">Red Velvet</a> cupcakes at home a while later. </div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://graffiatodc.com/">Graffiato</a></div><div>707 6th Street NW</div><div>Metro: Red Line to Gallery Place/Chinatown<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/1601727/restaurant/DC/Penn-Quarter/Graffiato-Washington"><img alt="Graffiato on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1601727/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a> </div>Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914619139968734983.post-82083733815304072652011-11-18T11:00:00.001-05:002011-11-18T11:17:43.928-05:00While I Was Away...We had a great time in DC. I saw more than 20 different friends, including 3 relatives. We ate lunches, dinners (out and homemade), snacks, drank coffee, and even <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/mathewbrown">went for a walk</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg740/scaled.php?tn=0&server=740&filename=3ktbu.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg740/scaled.php?tn=0&server=740&filename=3ktbu.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640" width="240" /></a></div>Here is Tiki Barber and my hand, in a picture that I've definitely taken about 4 years ago, watch on wrist and all.But this time he has a little gray under his chin. <br />
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Back to <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/08/petes-new-haven-style-apizza-ten-frien.html">Pete's</a> but this time in Clarendon. Edge of the Woods was a little different - instead of the big eggplant slices seen below back at Ten-Frien, there were smaller slivers. I prefer the larger slices because you feel like it's more eggplant, less fried batter. Take note! Below is an old EOTW photo. It doesn't look like "pizza with fried whatever on top," it looks like eggplant.<br />
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Next, <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2008/03/palena.html">Palena</a>. They've changed with the expansion. The fry plate is no longer; now there's a "fritto misto" that has fried lots of things (including things I don't want, like shrimp and cauliflower). I wish it was still basically dauphine potato, french fries, and fried lemons were the bomb. The roasted chicken is still a delight, but the first time I had it was the best time ever. The server said they'd just give us a plate of fried lemons, which they did, and that was nice. Only $3. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-anEqj13G4Go/TsMsEIlLNoI/AAAAAAAAEqg/v-LxlUD8ED4/s1600/photo%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-anEqj13G4Go/TsMsEIlLNoI/AAAAAAAAEqg/v-LxlUD8ED4/s640/photo%252812%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QCUwYpZj00k/TsMsFGve44I/AAAAAAAAEqo/xRppSFav3XY/s1600/photo%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QCUwYpZj00k/TsMsFGve44I/AAAAAAAAEqo/xRppSFav3XY/s640/photo%252813%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Hey, who is reaching for that lemon!<br />
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At <a href="http://www.bistrobis.com/index1.html">Bistro Bis</a> I enjoyed French onion soup and mustard seed crusted bacon fat salmon with lentils. Because it's healthy to order the fish, you know. This was my favorite weekday meal at a restaurant.<br />
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Friday night potluck with the ladies included butternut squash vegetarian chili, lots of cheese, and CCs' rendition of the <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/09/red-wine-chocolate-cake/">red wine chocolate cake</a> (spoiler alert: it's delicious. More toward brownie than cake, which is why I requested it). <br />
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Saturday morning I had a kale and goat cheese frittatta made by my <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/11/restaurant-eve.html">Sisterfriend</a> (not to be confused with my <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2011/08/postcard-from-cape-cod.html">Seester</a> or <a href="http://ieatdc.blogspot.com/2010/05/ichiban-sushi.html">Sister</a>), with a side of mini apple cider doughnuts from the <a href="http://www.fentonstreetmarket.com/">Fenton Street Market.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg686/scaled.php?tn=0&server=686&filename=qj9d.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg686/scaled.php?tn=0&server=686&filename=qj9d.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640" width="480" /></a></div>This is Ella, my first and eldest dog niece. She's the sweetest puppy.<br />
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SF also made delicious pumpkin waffles, but I didn't know how yummy they were until Sunday morning.<br />
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Saturday afternoon J and I shared some post-<a href="http://www.fotoweekdc.org/">Fotoweek</a> steak banh mi from <a href="http://shophousekitchen.com/">ShopHouse</a>. The steak was really good, the slaw was a little spicy, and man is that a lot of bread. If you're very hungry, this one is a good choice. I'm not obsessed though. Then I had a decadent concrete from Shake Shack with vanilla custard, peanut butter, marshmallow, chocolate, caramel, and pure joy.<br />
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Next we visited the new MLK Memorial - I really enjoyed it, particularly the awesome (great and literally large) quotes on the low surrounding walls. There was a big crowd, which was really heartwarming and inspiring. Thanks for finally shaking up all the crusty old white guy memorials.<br />
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Dinner gets a separate post of its own - Graffiato! I had a terrific time and a delicious meal.<br />
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Sunday I had that pumpkin waffle (and a half?) that we talked about earlier, then we headed out to wine country. In Baltimore County. Both <a href="http://www.boordy.com/home">Boordy</a> and <a href="http://dejonvineyard.com/">DeJon </a>are in just north of the city of Baltimore, and we stopped by both. Boordy was CRAZY hopping, and the tasting was pretty informal. We didn't learn much about the wines, but they were mostly ok. My favorite was the Shiraz, followed by the Petit Cabernet. DeJon is fairly new, and the wines were better. The owner (<b>Jon</b>, not to be confused with <b>De</b>nise) poured us each one, chatted a little about his former life as a software company owner (the winery = "retirement"), but it was just us and one large group of rowdy, drunk 50 somethings, so we tasted and ran. It was just cool enough where you didn't really want to just sit and play Bananagrams. <br />
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That night we had a gathering of 13 people we love--some were experienced in the task at hand, while others were novices. Some asked for direction, instructions, and were timid. It does seem like everyone enjoyed themselves, though.<br />
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Ethiopic! One or two too many platters, but no one complained. We could have all been full with less, and our wallets slightly fuller.<br />
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We still love DC. We want to try all the new restaurants that we (still) read about on local blogs. We marvel that certain corners and blocks have completely changed in one year. We're interested in the new monuments and updated exhibits at the galleries. But mostly, we love our friends and family that make the District home. And that's why we'll be back.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Capitol to Capitalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14967365090390421969noreply@blogger.com1